Sharpener for safety razor blades



Aug.25,193. w. F. WHITMAN -2,052,508

SHARPENER FOR SAFETY RAZOR BLADES Filed NOV. 27, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1936 N y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a sharpener for safety razor blades and more especially to a device for sharpening and stropping razor blades and other edge tools.

5 The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the blade or blades will be caused to automatically move into sharpening position with respect to a strop or sharpening slab and on reciprocation of l() a carriage the said blades can be sharpened and honed with dispatch.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the cutting edges of safety razor blades will be held in proper l5' relation to a strop or sharpening slab and such blades manually reciprocated for sharpening of the edges thereof, the blades being automatically reversed under reciprocation and maintained in close contact with the strop or slab to assure the sharpening and honing of the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the construction thereof is novel in form and is susceptible of accommodating different styles of 25 safety razor blades so that the same can be acted upon for stropping and honing thereof, the device being adaptable to accommodate hollowed razor blades.

A still further object of the inventiton is the provision of a device of this character, which is simple in construction, readily and easily operated, thoroughly reliable and eficent in its operation, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the inven- 35 tion consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of .a device constructed in accordance with the invention.

45 Figure 2 is a side` elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a plan View of a blade clamp or clip for use in the device.

50 Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, particularly Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the device comprises a 55 carriage which includes sides I0. top II and bottom I2, preferably formed from metal and unitary with each other. Midway of the carriage and protruding from the top and bottom I I and I2 at. opposite sides I thereof are suitable bearing ears I3 for the journal ends I4 of axles I5 and 5 carried by these axles at one journal end M of each is a pinion I6, it being fixed thereto in any suitable manner. These pinions i6 are next to one side I il of the carriage and mesh with an intermediate gear Il journaled on a stud axle I8 10 xedly held in thecarriage.

Adapted to be disposed betweenrthe axles I and extended through the carriage is a honing strop, a portion thereof being indicated at I9, which at one face thereof has a sharpening slab l5 or surface of any suitable abrasive or sharpening material or composition. At opposite edges of the strop I9 are binding strips 2l of metal, a flange 22, one of which has formed therein a perforated gear engaging track or rack 23 with which meshes a spur gear 24 made fast upon one of the journals I4 of an axle I5 so that upon reciprocation of the carriage upon the strop I9 reverse rotary motion will be imparted to said axles I5 for a purpose presently described. 25

Carried by the axles I5 are reversely set carriers 25 and 25', respectively, for razor blades or razor blade holders, one holder being indicated at 26 in Figure 4 of the drawing. These carriers at the heels thereof are formed with pintle sleeves 21 which are spaced apart and frictionally embrace the companion axles i5 while between the sleeves and active upon the axles I5 are coiled springs 28, these snugly embracing the said axles and each terminal 29 thereof anchored against 35 the carrier 25 next thereto. Thus on reverse movements of the carriage the carriers 25 and 25 will be reversely swung through the action of the gear and the spur gear tracking the rack 23 so that a razor blade 3) or the holder 26 therefor 40 when within each carrier will be properly positioned to have contact of its cutting edge with the strop I9 and the slab 26 for the stropping and sharpening operation on reciprocation of the said Carrier. l

The carriage at the side I0 opposite the gear I1 and midway of said carriage carries a handle 3l for the manual reciprocation of said carriage.

In the stropping and sharpening operation the carriage is moved to and fro or is reciprocated on the strop I9 by means of the handle 3 I. By this movement the blade carriers 25 and 25 are rocked to bring the blades 30 therein into contact with the strop IS, these carriers at opposite sides of the carriage being reversely rocked so 55 that honing and sharpening of the blades can be had as the carriers automatically operate simultaneously for presenting blades at opposite sides of the strop in position for honing and sharpening under reciprocation of the carriage.

The springs 28 frictionally binding against the axles I5 will afford a pressure on the carriers 25 and 25 so as to hold the cutting edges of the blades 30 in close contact with the strop I9 and the sharpening surface 20 thereof. The frictional engagement allows the positive turning of the carriers automatically on relation of the axle I5 and the free turning of the latter Within a pintle sleeve 21 when the blades are in contact with the strop and surface 20 upon reciprocation of the carriage.

When it is desired to sharpen the razor blade the same is placed in the carrier next to the surface 20 and for the strapping of such blade it 1s placed in the carrier 25 at the stropping side of the strop I9.

What is claimed is:

A stropping device comprising a carriage, a strop having a sharpening surface passed through the carriage, rocking razor blade carriers arranged at opposite sides of the carriage for presenting blades therein in reverse relation to each other to the strop and sharpening surface, respectively, turning axles journaled in the carriage and frctionally supporting the carriers, means on the strop and having gear connection with the axles for reversely turning the latter on reciprocation of said carriage, means for manually mov- 15 ing the carriage and friction springs included with the carriers and embracing the axles,

WILLIAM F. WHITMAN. 

